Australia in the 1880s

Innovations

In 1882, HH Kingsbury returned from New York with several generators and illuminated the Sydney GPO and Circular Quay using Edison incandescent light bulbs.

In 1882, a government-run telephone exchange opened at Sydney General Post Office, a forerunner of Telecom and Telstra. By 1883, all Australian capital cities except Perth would have telephone exchanges.

In 1887, the introduction of refrigeration on ships meant Australia could sell its primary industry produce to the world.

The first cargo of cool-storage apples, about 1,300 cases, was shipped from Tasmania to England.